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Haggerty: [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] and his line desperate to score
ATLANTA – It was apparent how much [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] cares when he threw his 33-year-old body in front of a blistering Dustin Byfuglien slap shot in the third period of a tied game.
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych] finished with three blocked shots in Boston's 3-2 shootout loss to the Thrashers Thursday at a close-to-packed Philips Arena. It's a stat that isn't the center's bread and butter, but it gives a glimpse as to how much he desperately wants his hockey team to succeed.
Unfortunately the blocked shots are equal to the number of assists [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] has put up over his first 12 games since coming back from the symptoms of post-concussion syndrome.
There are indisputable signs [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] began to click with the titanic Milan Lucic and streaky Nathan Horton in the final 40 minutes of the game, and No. 1 line dominated puck possession in Atlanta's end.
The forechecking was tight, the work ethic was improved and those three forwards feel agonizingly close to scratching their scoring potential. But there are no consolation prizes for almost scoring.
"It was better. Unfortunately they weren't on the score sheet tonight, but they had some chances," said coach Claude Julien. "Hopefully it just gets better because we need those three guys to produce for us."
Lucic had the line's best chance on a line change with Steve Kampfer carrying the puck in the attack zone during the second period. Kampfer clamped on the brakes after carrying the puck into offensive territory, and somehow flipped off a backhanded cross-ice pass to Lucic as the big left winger hopped off the bench and headed toward the net.
Lucic fired a shot designed to sneak through the five-hole, but Ondrej Pavelec closed up before the puck could trickle into the crease. Pavelec was so unsure of his save that he checked behind him immediately to make sure Lucic's shot didn't dribble through, but the standout Atlanta goaltender indeed made the stop.
And there were no points from Boston's big guns when needed during a pair of man-advantage chances in the third period.
"It's been 12 games for now, and you get to start wondering when it's going to start happening," said [link widoczny dla zalogowanych]. "I haven't had the most consistent stretch, but I think a lot of that is the layoff. Once we get consistent opportunities, I think we're going to take off. If we can one early in Buffalo [on Saturday], then I think that's all we need."
Its clear No. 91 is encouraged by the steps he's seen in four games together with Lucic and Horton, but it's also just as clear he's getting frustrated by managing four points and a minus-6 in 12 games.
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych] thought he'd return to point-per-game player form by now. But he's still just a little off when he gets teed up for a shot at the ne.
Horton,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], meanwhile, still looks like he's rushing whenever the puck is on his stick – a sure sign of a skill player suffering through a severe ebb in confidence.
"We said from the beginning that we've got all the combinations to come together and form a great line," said [link widoczny dla zalogowanych]. "It's really frustrating. It's hard on the confidence when things aren't going in. Tonight I honestly remember only one shift when we didn't play in their zone, and that was it.
"Even when they thought they were going to be able to get it out, we kept it in. [Lucic] and [Horton] and me, we were hunters tonight and that's what Claude was saying [to us after the game]. The three of us are best friends. It's tough when we're not producing, but we stick together. We get along. We can tell each other when we're pissed off at each other, and say 'C'mon . . . ' You know?"
One thing is clear.
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych] appreciated that Julien is keeping the trio together, so they can find their way as a cohesive unit.
"It's nice that Claude gave us a vote of confidence tonight and said that he believes in us. That really helps. We care so much that it almost hurts our feelings as much as anything else," said [link widoczny dla zalogowanych]. "We want to help out. We want to put the puck behind the other team's goalie, and when we're not doing that it's tough on us."
The struggle to score has reached the point where [link widoczny dla zalogowanych] and Co. are talking about it at the team hotels, talking about it when they go to dinner, and talking about it on team charters from city to city.
One big goal. One productive game. One beautifully timed pass for a one-time slap shot is all that it's going to take.
"The three of us have got to find a way through this," said Lucic. "Maybe it's about thinking about it more positively. We're good players. We can make a lot happen and we've just to get results."
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Lucic and Horton will go hunting for that again in Buffalo at HSBC Arena on New Year's Day.